Dumping freight-car.



G. G. SHAFFER.

DUMPING FREIGHT GAR. APPLICATION II\LED JULY 11,1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 19M

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a. Cl MM G. G. SHAFFER.

DUMPING FREIGHT GAR.

APPLIGATIONHLED JULY 11,1913

Patented Apr. 21, 191

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GUS'IOV C. SHAFFER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DUMPING FREIGHT-CAR.

noaavaa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed July 11, 1913. Serial No. 778,465. 7

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUs'rov C. SHAFFER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping .Freight-Cars, of which the following is, a

specification.

My invention relates to dumping freight cars and more specifically to that class thereof generally known as gondola freight cars.

The object of my invention is the produc- 3 tion of a car of the character mentioned which will be durable and economical of construction, and in which will be provided doors for the discharge openings of the car of improved construction and operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which V Figure 1 is a side elevation of a freight car embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the lower portion of the body of the car, Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the body of the car, and Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on substantiallyline w-w of Fig. 3.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a car body formed of sheet metal, said body consisting of side-walls 1, end Walls 2 and a bottom 3. Said bottom 3 is inclined from a longitudinal median line'toward the sides of the car so that, in'use, when the doors of the discharge openings 1" of the car are moved to open positions, the contents of the car will automatically discharge through said openings as'will be readily understood.

The lateral walls 1 of the car body are reinforced at intervals by vertically disposed flanges 4 spaced along said walls as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the discharge openings 1 of the car being positioned between said reinforcing flanges as shown in the several views. Secured to the flanges 4 at opposite sides thereof are angle irons 5 between the outwardly projecting adjacent flanges of which are constituted channels 6. Cooperating with each of the discharge openings 1 is a metallic door 7 which is mounted for 'by rotating said shafts.

vertical sliding, the respective endsthereof being mounted in the corres onding guide channels 6 as clearly shown In Fig. 4.

The arrangement is such as will be observed that the doors 7 will normally re main at their lower terminals of movement or in closed position, the same assuming this position, by reason of gravity. Elevation of said doors in order toeife'ct dumping of the car is secured through racks 8 secured to the outer side of .each of said doors ad acent the respective ends thereof as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The racks 8 are engaged by pinions 10 secured to shafts 9 whichextend longitudinally of the car in front of said doors, said shafts being mounted in bearings" provided in the flangesA.

Four shafts 10 are employed, two on each side of'the car, each extending from the center of the car to one end thereof. The arrangement is "such, as will be observed, that elevation of the doors 7 may be efl'ected Said shafts are manually rotated through the medium of a lever 11 which is providedat the outer end of each of said shafts, said lever carrying a pawl 12 which is adapted to engage with a ratchet wheel 13 provided at the corresponding end of the shafts, a spring compressed pawl 14- cooperating with said ratchet wheel'to lock the same in advanced position during oscillation of lever '11, as will be readily understood. With this arrangement it will be seen that, when it is desired "to release the doors from elevated position, it is only necessary to move the pawls 12 andll t to inoperative positions, the doors after said pawls have been thus moved dropping by gravity to closing position. p

Provided at the lower edge of each of the doors 7 adjacent, the respective extremities thereof are rollers 15 which engage with the corresponding angle members 5 to alleviate friction in the sliding movement of the doors it being obvious that when the car is ladened, there will be considerable out-- ward pressure upon the doors 7, and which pressurewouldresult. in considerable friction of said doors uponthe outermost angle -members 5 but for the provision of the rollers 15.

The doors 7 as well as the shafts .9 and ninions 10are positioned inwardly of the sides-of the car, the lateral walls 1 of the latter being offset, as clearly shown 'in Fig.

3, in order to accommodate said doors in this arrangement. By offsetting the walls 1 as shown, housings are constitutedthereby for the reception of, the doors 7 when in elevated position. This construction. will be 'found to be especially strong and durable and the same affords protection for the doors 7 and the operating mechanism thereof which will prevent injury thereto such as might otherwise result were said doors exposed.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to belimited to the desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A freight car comprising a side wall having a discharge opening, said opening having vertical guide grooves at the ends there- 'of; a door coiiperating with said opening having its ends mounted for vertical s1id-' ing in said guide grooves, said door being positioned inwardly of the corresponding side of the car, said wall being offset to accommodate said do0r;'and means for effecting vertical movement of said door, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of SHAFFER.

two subscribing witnesses. precise details of construction set forth, but v GUSTOV C.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA R. H. Porrs, HELEN F. LILLIS. 

